Thursday, June 21, 2007

Corruption

Corruption

Corporations riddled with accounting scandals; government officials taking bribes and perverting judicial decisions; modern language corrupting to the lowest common denominator—signs of a society on its last legs?

An American president lies under oath. A U.S. senator resigns in disgrace. United Nations officials take away funding intended for hungry Iraqis. A major American automotive company ignores federal law and conducts business with an enemy state.

Corruption spans almost 6,000 years of civilization. Each humanly devised government has battled this scourge.

Corruption appears in more than one shape and flavor, and includes, as defined by the dictionary, (1) dishonest proceedings, moral perversion, depravity, (2) debase or alteration of language, and (3) a perversion of integrity.
Widespread dishonesty and deceit, compromised morality, and perverted, twisted language are all signs of a culture with its underpinnings about to give way.

Corruption in Government
A candidate for the 2008 U.S. presidential election promised he would, if elected, eliminate corruption in his administration with a paper clip. How? The paperclip would serve as a continual reminder to him and his staff of their moral responsibility toward the Oval Office. If a gift or some other benefit was offered, his staff would
be instructed to compare its value to that of the paperclip: If the gift’s value were greater, it must be refused.
While the candidate is probably sincere about his intention, would his innovative reminder prove to be effective?  Not likely—and here’s why. Gifts have now come to be viewed as part of the “benefits package” for those holding office, a reasonable compensation for their services.

But such thinking is in itself corrupt! Unless payment has been specifically described as part of a compensation package, gifts of significant value are always a violation of the public trust. Designed to influence policy and business decisions, these can lead to lies that cover up the payoff and “spin” a politician’s position. A political leader accepting what is essentially a bribe for his support of a business venture, public works or policy dictate has succumbed to thievery, deceit and hypocrisy—in every case!

Preference given to one group as a result of gifts or payoffs is unfair to others who have an interest in the influenced policy, funding or law. Honesty and integrity can quickly become overwhelmed by graft and corruption if such exchanges become commonplace.

Dishonesty and fraud at the top eventually spread to lower levels. Few seem to any longer believe that character does matter! Not long ago, the American public debated the importance of this attribute, generally excusing the dishonorable conduct occurring in the White House at that time. Many defended the indefensible by dismissing the importance of personal conduct in the Oval Office. Corruption had reached such a high level that the “checks and balances” of self-policing written into the U.S. Constitution proved to be ineffective. The legislative branch became paralyzed and failed to act because of its own corruption and immoral behavior. In effect, each branch had the other blackmailed into inaction!

When corrupt practices are tolerated—even endorsed—truth and justice are lost. Government appears to become more of a circus, in which propaganda reigns supreme, than a serious institution.

Corrupt behavior causes an entire nation to become spiritually sick, from the highest levels of government to those charged with enforcing its laws. The book of Proverbs states, “Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (14:34). Is it any wonder a recent poll found that only three in ten Americans trust their elected government?  While the level of corruption observed in Western nations is unprecedented, other governments have been even more corrupt.

It is said that “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Common in history is the tyrant or dictator who carries absolute authority. Such use fear and intimidation to suppress, control or murder any who are critical of the self-glorifying leader.

God also compares the crooked and fraudulent culture of the West to a diseased and wounded body: “You will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it” (Isa.59 vs. 5-6). Rebellion against the true God leads to corruption, which spreads as a sickness from the leadership, or the “head,” of the nation, down to the weakest, “or sole of the foot.”

Corruption Leads to Injustice
Justice is another casualty of corruption. In most countries, unjust and incomprehensible decisions rendered by dishonest judges have led to a general distrust for the legal system. In the West, an increasing number of judicial
decisions are being made that have roots in political agendas. Sometimes, judges are even intimidated by those with a special interest in certain cases, resulting in the law being compromised and twisted.

Justice administered in the United States and the British Empire was once regarded as a beacon of hope and model for other nations. But today the obvious tolerance for corruption and criminal behavior brings only derision and contempt from friend and foe alike, especially as court proceedings are transmitted around the globe.

Each generation believes it has a better way than the one that preceded it. Each civilization has failed as its legal system became nothing more than a means for those with power to enforce their will and further their personal agenda over others. Even democracy is not immune—certainly, justice is one of the first of its pillars to crack.

Notice this powerful passage found in Isaiah 59 describing the worldwide corruption that exists today: “None calls for justice, nor any pleads for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief [evil] and bring forth iniquity…there is no judgment [justice] in their goings: they have made them crooked paths…Therefore is judgment far from us, neither does justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness…And judgment [justice] is turned away backward, and justice [righteousness] stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yes, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment [justice]” (vs. 4, 8-9, 14-15).

But God has a solution to the current system of dishonest practices found throughout the world.

A Corrupt Business Environment
Honest businessmen understand that established rules benefit everyone, and that one should not steal from his partners, for embezzlers are nothing more than corporate thieves. The Enron scandal demonstrated that business leaders do not
have the right to “cook the books.”  Sadly, honest business practices that were once generally expected have given way to widespread corruption.

Publicity surrounding the Enron scandal has also shed light on the size of the salaries of many CEOs in the U.S. While a corporate leader of a successful company is entitled to fair compensation, salaries of senior level executives have become largely disproportionate to the benefit provided to employees and stockholders. There seems to be little accountability, as huge compensation packages are provided to CEOs by the boards of companies that are losing money, downsizing and going bankrupt! While it may be legal, it is obvious that human nature, greed, selfishness and corruption play a prominent role.

Other types of corruption are more subtle. Agreements made between developers and government officials often involve huge exchanges of private money for projects that may not be in the public’s best interest. For example, a municipality insists upon and accepts a new fire engine from a major corporation in exchange for a development being approved.  The state then sets aside acreage for private land that will be used for the project. While these are considered legal, they are only a small step away from the shady payoffs common in other countries.

Corruption in business punishes honest men and women, and provides advantage—and wealth—to those willing to be the most dishonest and ruthless.

A Corrupt Media Machine
An independent and objective news media can sometimes correct and even prevent the abuses of the rich and powerful.

U.S. Business Scandals
Confidence in corporate America has been shaken by a series of accounting scandals:

Biggest bankruptcy filing in history (Chapter 11 protection from creditors); company admitted falsely accounting for $3.9 billion in expenses.
Energy company under investigation for its off-balance sheet partnerships, hiding debt and inflating earnings; it filed for bankruptcy.
Auditors destroyed important Enron documents; company convicted on obstruction of justice charge.
Former CEO charged with fraud.
Cable TV operator filed for bankruptcy; faces criminal investigation into its accounting.
Energy firm being investigated for a controversial project that lowered its tax liability and boosted its cash flow.
Telecommunications firm under investigation for inflating revenue.
Photocopy giant paid a $10 million fine for misstating four years’ worth of profits.

However, when the media becomes controlled and manipulated by political and commercial interests, it is reduced to a servant to corruption.

A popular American talk show host remarked that the major networks are no longer interested in truth, but rather work tirelessly to twist and spin news critical of certain leaders. Photos are carefully selected to manipulate and mislead the public. Words are chosen to infuse emotion into events, and to turn evil into good. He observed that the media “spin” always leans culturally toward amorality—and anyone who speaks out honestly in a moral tone, with any authority, is vilified.

A Corrupt Language
Several pages could be written describing the calculated corruption of language, which God predicted for the end time:  “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isa. 5:20).

The word “gay” was once associated with joy—but now refers to a lifestyle that God describes as “against nature” (Romans 1:24-27).

“Single Mom” has largely replaced the term “unwed mother” to remove any unpleasant stigma from children born without a father around.

“Migrant worker” has replaced “illegal alien” in an attempt to obscure the problem that neither political party can decisively fix.

In addition, popular music screams lyrics so reprehensible, they cannot be printed in this publication.

The perversion of modern language is so complete that most do not realize they have been deceived into accepting ideas that would have been unthinkable only a generation ago. The corruption of language and news media has contributed greatly to the mental drunkenness of the public-at-large. They have forgotten that words are what men live by.

The Corruption of the Family
The basic definition of the family unit—father, mother and children—has also been corrupted, with unmarried “domestic partners” and “civil union” couples now considered a family by many.

The most corrupt in society are the greatest antagonists of the only real family unit. They seek its complete redefinition, and by doing so its destruction. They fail to recognize that the destruction of the family also seals their nation’s fate, removes their protection and assures their destruction.

What Does the Future Hold?
These latter days have seen the surrender of morality and virtue. Lust, vanity, self-centeredness and greed have all cast their shadow over leaders throughout society.

Government officials accept money for their influence. Corrupt business practices are virtually unchecked. Corruption infiltrates the basic family unit and confuses men, women and children about their roles and purposes.

But why is this world filled with such corruption? Interestingly enough, the answer is found in the same chapter of Isaiah referenced earlier. Notice: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (59:2). In a world cut off from a just, fair, righteous and loving God, widespread dishonesty and corruption result.

Yet there is hope.

Jesus Christ—the Being who came to the earth two millennia ago to provide a means for mankind to live eternally in His family with the Father—is soon returning to the earth! He will establish a pure language, eliminate corruption and institute justice based on God’s Law!

He is returning not as a human to die on a stake, but as an all-powerful LIVING KING! He is returning to smash all human governments and establish a divine, world-ruling government—the kingdom of God! (Daniel 7:13-14, 22, 27).

Notice: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this” (Isa. 9:6-7).

Only then will there be a government built on a solid and sustainable foundation. Only then will leaders govern in the best interests of their subjects. Only then will those deceived by illusions have their eyes opened.

Only then will corruption end!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Border (out of) Control

Border (Out of) Control

The frightening situation on the border keeps getting worse. Gangs are fighting for control of the border and it's getting ugly. If you haven't heard of the Zetas, here's what was in the Dallas Morning News today:

"In coordinated strikes, armed men rob at least five casinos in four states, killing a bystander and escaping with bundles of money. In the northern state of Sonora, an attack on a police station leaves five officers dead and announces the arrival of a new criminal force in the region. The likely culprit in both cases: the Zetas, a ruthless organization that was virtually unheard of just five years ago."

The Zetas, created by a group of highly trained military deserters to work as enforcers for the Gulf drug cartel, have become so powerful that their old handlers are quickly losing control, authorities said.

The group, first concentrated along Mexico's border with Texas, has evolved into a powerful threat in its own right, spreading its brand of brutal violence into 31 Mexican states as it battles for control of new regions and key border entry points, U.S. and Mexican authorities say.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/stories/061107dnintzetas.3a36238.html

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Ruth Bell Graham 1920-2007

Ruth Bell Graham ~1920-2007~

Ruth Bell Graham: A lifetime of pilgrimage

God of the Universe
in power abiding,
whose Son both death endured
and death defied,
returning omnipotent
as before; confiding
all--all in You,
an irrevocable trust,
I find my leaden spirit
lifted from the dust
confident that You
Who've brought me
thus far on the way,
will see me through.
~Ruth Bell Graham~

Rest In Peace

Too much or too little?

Too much or too little.  Are our lives subject to the vagaries of the market?

Some of these super-rich are turning to traditional and nontraditional philanthropic means to "pay back" society. On the other hand, some studies show that the yawning and ever-growing gap between rich and poor makes for a serious problem of hopelessness and frustration for the many at the bottom of the economic order. Some kind of balance seems necessary.

Economics classes teach the basics of the supply and demand curves, and that one should strive to be at the point where these are in balance. There are whole battalions of consultants who devote their efforts to maximizing the benefits – creating wealth while keeping costs down – all the time watching the supposed "invisible hand" of the market at work.

What I learned in these classes didn't seem secure to me. I wanted to know that my life wasn't subject to the vagaries of the market, worries by investors, or political coups abroad. I didn't want to be buffeted by bullish or bearish trends, either.

I turned to the Bible for inspiration, and found in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount the demand, "I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" (Matt. 6:25).

This seems counterintuitive in today's society. Was Jesus really telling us, in this expression, "take no thought," to ignore these needs? Then I discovered that the Greek word is "to be anxious." Jesus' teaching, I believe, is not to ignore human needs, but to not be anxiety-ridden about them, allowing God to supply the need.

Read more here: http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0614/p18s02-hfcs.html?page=1

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

(Cair) has declined..

Article from the Washington Times today...

Membership in the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has declined more than 90 percent since the 2001 terrorist attacks. According to tax documents obtained by The Times, the number of reported members spiraled down from more than 29,000 in 2000 to less than 1,700 in 2006, a loss of membership that caused the Muslim rights group's annual income from dues to drop from $732,765 in 2000, when yearly dues cost $25, to $58,750 last year, when the group charged $35.

Critics of the organization say they are not surprised membership is sagging, and that a recent decision by the Justice Department to name CAIR as "unindicted co-conspirators" in a federal case against another foundation charged with providing funds to a terrorist group could discourage new members.

CAIR's declining and minuscule membership is good news, but really, the organization doesn't need members. All it needs is one guy in each chapter, a talking head with a phone in every major city, ready to feed the CAIR line to the local media. And the media types, of course, fall for that line every time.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070611-034232-5919r.htm

Monday, June 11, 2007

The Demoralization Of America

The Demoralization of America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8MCSu_K-A

Must see video, watch YuriBezmenov speak about influencing America. It explains a lot about how our views are influenced.

This is why it is vital that you get educated on the issues and become an informed voter who will put people in office who represent your point of view and care about the same issues you care about.

Brigitte Gabriel
http://www.americancongressfortruth.org/

The Day Of Islam

Robert S. Mueller, Director of the FBI, spoke this morning at the Global Initiative Nuclear Terrorism Conference in Miami. His comments confirm claims made in a new book "The Day of Islam" detailing al-Qaida's nuclear plans.


The Day Of Islam

http://www.newsmaxstore.com/nms/showdetl.cfm?&DID=6&Product_ID=2269&promo_code=2A89-1

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Daniel Unlocked For The Final Generation

Daniel Unlocked for the Final Generation
http://www.wake-up.org/Daniel/DanChap1.htm

Daniel 2 contains the first prophecy in the book of Daniel. In this respect, Daniel 2 is a foundational prophecy and all subsequent prophecies in Daniel and Revelation are built on it. The prophecy in Daniel 2 reveals three interesting facts. First, God not only knows the future, but He has also predetermined that certain events will occur in the future. Second, God chooses the kings of Earth and He sets them up and takes them down according to His higher purposes. Third, beginning with the kingdom of Babylon, God has predestined the appearing of seven global empires. Think of the number seven as God’s signature. He has put His signature on many things to remind us that He is our Creator and our Creator has a plan! The number seven suggests fullness or completion. For example, in Daniel and Revelation there are seven kingdoms, seven heads, seven eyes, seven horns, seven thunders, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven churches, seven bowls and seven angels who stand before God. Consider our physical world, there are seven continents, seven colors in the rainbow, seven notes in our musical scale, seven days in a week, and Jesus spoke seven times when He was on the cross. God’s signature is everywhere! Even our seven-day week is terminated with God’s seventh-day rest. The use of seven in Daniel and Revelation is deliberate and important to God. The seven kingdoms presented in Daniel 2 declare a finished plan. The seven kingdoms presented in Daniel 2 consist of six kingdoms governed by men and an eternal kingdom governed by God. The interesting climax in this vision is that God destroys the kingdoms of men before He establishes His kingdom on Earth!

WARNING! Revelation is about to be fulfilled
http://www.wake-up.org/index.html

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Senator Joe Liberman

Last summer during his successful re-election campaign in Connecticut as an Independent, Senator Joe Lieberman read Bruce Bawer's book, While Europe Slept. He was shocked at what he learned about the looming Islamization occurring in what many have taken to call Eurabia-after Islamic scholar Bat Ye'or's book of the same name.

This topic emerged during his campaign speeches on foreign policy and homeland security keyed off of the Senator's role as a co-sponsor of the 9/11 review Commission. As Chairman of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC), the Senator and his staff have scheduled a series of 'exploratory hearings' on this vital and important topic.

Three hearings has been held to date and broadcast on C-SPAN:

The Threat of Islamic Radicalism to the Homeland on March 14th;
http://www.senate.gov/~govt-aff/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=423

The Internet; A portal to Violent Islamic Extremism on May 3rd;
http://www.senate.gov/~govt-aff/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=441

Violent Islamist Extremism: Government Efforts to Defeat It on May 10th
http://www.senate.gov/~govt-aff/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=441

Committee staff informs us that a series of follow up hearings will be held over the summer culminating in a report in the fall to complete this important agenda.

http://www.americancongressfortruth.com/index.asp

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

The Six-Day War

AP notes the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War in which Israel
reclaimed control over the Temple Mount for the first time since the
Roman occupation. Will this anniversary mark the end of a 40 year
wilderness period for Israel?

http://apnews. myway.com/ article/20070602 /D8PGPGDO0

China Is Building Military Might

The Pentagon has said China is building military might.

Rev 9:15 So the four angels who were ready for that hour, day, month, and year were released to kill one-third of humanity.
Rev 9:16 The number of cavalry troops was 200,000,000. I heard how many there were.

Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

China is modernizing its military in ways that give it options for launching surprise attacks, potentially far from its borders.

In an annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said the Chinese are acquiring better missiles, submarines and aircraft and should more fully explain the purpose of a military buildup that has led some to view China as a threat.

In a measured tone, the report offered a detailed look at China's military modernization. And it outlined areas of perceived ambiguity in Chinese strategy, including its declared policy of never starting a nuclear war; it concluded that Beijing may be exploring "new options" provided by its force modernization.

Beijing's bachelor bulge: the unprecedented surplus of boys The dangerous combination of modern technology and traditional beliefs is creating a huge army of single men and a strain on China's social fabric. In China, the trend has become so extreme that it is believed to be unprecedented in human history.

The unbalance is most dramatic in the southern and rural regions where people still hold traditional biases in favour of male children. Hainan province, where 137 boys are born for every 100 girls, has the worst ratio in the country, and could be a harbinger of China's future.

Prediction in 2010 more than 170 million men of marriageable age will be unable to find wives. All across China, the dangerous combination of modern technology and traditional beliefs is creating a huge army of single men.

Euphrates Dam-also called Tabaqah, or Tabqa, Dam, dam on the Euphrates River in north-central Syria. The dam, which is located 30 miles upriver from the town of Ar-Raqqah, was begun in 1968. Its construction prompted an intense archaeological excavation of the area around the town of Tabaqah. The dam is of earth-fill construction, some 197 feet high and 2.8 miles long. It was completed in 1973, and the reservoir behind the dam, Lake Assad.
http://www.adiyamanli.org/ataturk_dam.htm

In Revelation 16:12, it is prophesied that the Euphrates will dry up in preparation for the Battle of Armageddon

All "puzzle pieces" are coming and fits together perfectly.
China will have "surplus" of 170 million single men in year 2010, China is located east of Jerusalem (Kings of the east), could be combined with North Korea, and other countries. This will fulfilled prophecies of 200 million soldiers marching to Jerusalem.

China is now booming economically, military build-up need a lot of cash. Weapons are expensive. If you go to any stores in the world now, you will find most products their selling are made in China. And the Pentagon says China is now building their own military might.

Euphrates Dam can shut down and dry up the whole river, to let this 200 million soldiers walk across. Thing that never cross people's mind back when they wrote that verse in the Bible.

What kind of weapons can kill one-third of humanity? That's at least 2 billion people. Nuclear!

Every single prophecies in the Bible will be fulfilled, if not already. There is no way around this, Repent and accept Jesus Christ as your personal God and Savior, Now!

To Study Bible Prophecy

If the Bible is anything, it is a prophetic book with nearly one out of every four scriptures having a prophetic reference. There is little doubt that the study of Biblical prophecy has been partially hijacked by many speculative and uneducated peoples who thrive on hype and breed on people’s inherent fears.

Speaking on the end times is one of comfort, not speculation. It is a teaching of hope, not of gloom and doom. Sound teaching on Biblical prophecy should point to Christ, not to man. For too long, the Body of Christ at large has used Biblical prophecy incorrectly.

So why should a Christian study Biblical prophecy? To find out when Christ will return? No. To discover some hidden doctrine that will give us goose bumps for a few seconds? No. The study of Biblical prophecy within the confines of the Christian Church has a four-fold purpose:

1. To teach us more about God’s just character and his loving ways.
Ps. 25:4-6
2. To motivate us to a life of holiness and sobriety.
2 Pet. 3:11
3. To comfort us with the eternal hope that awaits us at Christ’s return.
1 Thess. 4:18
4. To provide us with a sense of urgency in witnessing to lost sinners.
Matt. 28:18-20

10 specific Biblical predictions that signify the nearness of the Second Coming of Christ.

1. The Worldwide Spread of the Good News of Jesus Christ
2. The Proliferation of Wickedness and the Spread of Evil
3. The Rise of False Prophets and Apostate Religion
4. The Return of Israel to the Promised Land
5. The Strategic Connection of Russia and Iran
6. The Revival of Babylon
7. A Global Economic and Political System
8. The Rebuilding of the Third Jewish Temple
9. The Communication, Travel and Knowledge Explosion
10. The Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ

The day and hour we live in is an exciting and yet sobering time.

Rumors of War

Russia Warns U.S. About Missile System
On Monday, Iran's top security official called the U.S. plans for the missile defense shield a "joke," saying Iranian missiles do not have the capability to reach Europe. "Claims by U.S. officials that installing a missile defense system in Europe is aimed at confronting Iranian missiles and protecting Europe against Iran is the joke of the year," Ali Larijani told the state-run IRNA news agency.

"The range of Iran's missiles doesn't reach Europe at all," IRNA quoted Larijani as saying in Iran's first public reaction to the plans. Larijani is secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, the country's top security decision-making body. Iran is known to possess a medium-range ballistic missile called the Shahab-3 that has a range of at least 800 miles, capable of striking Israel. In 2005, Iranian officials said they had improved the range of the Shahab-3 to 1,200 miles. Although Western experts believe Iran is developing the Shahab-4 missile - thought to have a range between 1,200 and 1,900 miles, which would enable it to hit much of Europe - Iran has not confirmed such reports. Iran initially acknowledged in 1999 it was developing the Shahab-4, but claimed it would be used only as a space launch vehicle for commercial satellites.

Putin told reporters that he hoped U.S. officials would change their minds regarding the missile plan, warning that Moscow was preparing a response. "The strategic balance in the world is being upset and in order to restore this balance without creating an anti-missile defense on our territory we will be creating a system of countering that anti-missile system, which is what we are doing now," Putin said.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070604/D8PI4TCG0.html